Taoiseach must show same commitment to social progress as to peace process -Childers

Nessa Childers, MEP for Dublin, pleaded with the Taoiseach to match his level of commitment to social inclusion and equality, in line with his efforts to the safeguard the peace process in the island of Ireland.

Speaking from the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, in the first of a round of debates between EU country leaders and parliamentarians on the future of the Union, Ms. Childers said:

“I must thank the Taoiseach for his continued efforts and commitment to preserve the peace process and to prevent the formation of barriers within the island of Ireland, on foot of the UK’s decision to withdraw from the Union.

“I must also follow that with a plea to him, as a member of the European political force whose worldview and power has most considerably shaped both the emergence of the financial and economic crisis, a decade ago, and the measures taken in response to it since.

“That plea is that you work to mend the frayed social contract that can bind together our communities at national and European level.

“Just as conflict in the north of Ireland hid inequality and deprivation of basic rights under a cloak of ethno-religious hatred, so today the march of populism draws much energy from the losers of globalisation and the losers of our response to a crisis of globalisation.

“We saved finance and strived for a return to the status quo ante, in a transfer of wealth without precedent.

“Now it is time to break with precedent to save those who have no roof over their heads, those who struggle to keep one above themselves and their families, and their children, who depend on us to stop climate chaos.

“Fair taxation, even a modicum of taxation in some cases, might just help us to do that and, who knows, make the case for the retrospective bank recapitalisation that we never saw.”